“I’m proud to see our community’s advocacy had led to a permanent dialysis unit,” Moghrabi said. “[It] means our citizens and neighbours have easy access to life-saving treatment in dignified conditions.”

Since 2010, Lac La Biche-area residents have received their dialysis treatment on a bus parked outside the hospital. It was initially intended as a permanent solution, but patients said it was a band-aid fix that ran its course.

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The retrofitted bus could only treat five patients. Others in Lac La Biche were forced to travel hours for dialysis in other cities because the local mobile unit didn’t have enough staff trained to assist them.

“We listened and we acted. Now the bus has been replaced with a permanent dialysis unit so Albertans can receive dignified health care in their community. Our government believes Albertans deserve a strong public health care system they can be proud of.”